Stolen baby donkey ‘seen in back of car’

THERE are hopes a baby donkey stolen from its mother could be found after one of the animals was seen in the back of a car around the time it went missing.

A member of the public said they saw a donkey in a vehicle about 10 miles from where the animal, called Moon, went missing.

The two-month-old foal has not yet been weaned off its mother’s milk, and needs blankets to stay warm.

Moon’s mother Astra has been desperately searching for the foal since it was taken from a field at Miller’s Ark in Hook, Hants, last Monday.

Staff at the farm say the possible sighting has been reported to police, and they are appealing to drivers who were in the area at the time to come forward with any dashcam footage they might have.

A small “ginger”-coloured donkey was spotted in a blue car in Farnham, Surrey, between 3pm and 3.15pm on Monday.

Farm staff believe Moon was taken between 2.30pm and 5.15pm that day.

The animal is a Mediterranean miniature donkey, a type that struggles to regulate its heat.

Pamela Jessop, who works at the farm, said: “A woman said she was driving towards Farnham between 3pm and 3.15pm and saw a baby donkey in the back of a car.

“She thought it was a large dog at first.

“There was a young boy in the back seat of the car who was talking to the donkey and stroking it.

“Astra is starting to eat more now and is with her friends, so she seems to be getting better.”

An equine vet said whoever had stolen Moon should not feed her cow’s milk.

Instead she could be fed using “artificial mare’s milk replacer by bottle or bucket feeding”.